Locking mechanism for fireproof closures.



J. H. ROWLEY.

LOCKING MECHANISM r03 PIREPROOF OLOSURES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1911.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. H. ROWLEY.

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FIREPROOF GLOSUBES. APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1911.

1,@51,91, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. W- 2&5 26

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: TED STTES rA'riwr nr o r JAMES H. BOWLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB 'lO SYKES STEEL ROOFING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR FIREPROOF CLOSURES.

specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1911. Serial No. 822,868.

This invention relates to improvements in' locking mechanisms for closures and refers more particularly to hollow sheet metal fireproof door's, windows and the like.

The salient objects of the invention are to provide improved automatic mechanism for locking two swinging fire roof closures such as steel doors; to provide a construction of the above character in which the looking mechanism is substantially concealed,

thus not only preventing accidental displacement of the parts, but also presenting a more workmanlike and attractive appearance; to provide a construction of the above character in which the closures are auto-- matically locked by simply closing them and may be unlocked by turning the door knobs or other manually operated members; to provide a construction in which the closures are locked in closed position at both their upper and lower ends; to provide a construction which is characterized, not only by its simplicity and economy in construction, but by its reliability in operation in forming a fireproof closure structure; and in general to provide an improved construction of the character referred to.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an outside elevation of two steel doors equipped with my invention, with parts shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary outside elevation with parts broken away and shown in section to more clearly bring out details of construction. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on lines 4--4 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on lines 55 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the tumbler or rocker guidin member in another position. Fi 7 is a etailed perspective view of the late member for one of the doors.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and is shown as applied 'to a fireproof door structure.

Referring to the drawings, l designates as a whole the door frame or casing of the building and 2 and 3 respectively hollow sheet metal doors suitably hinged to the door frame, as shown at 4, 4 and adapted to -sw g outwardly. Each of these doors compri s a hollow sheet metal casing 5 provided with panels 6, 6, in a well known manner.

Describing now the manner of locking the door 3 in closed position, to the inner edge 7 thereof is secured a metal strip 8 provided near its upper end inside the door with a bracket arm 9. Upon the outer end of the bracket 9 is pivoted a toggle link 11, to which in turn is pivotally secured as shown at 12 a locking bolt 13, the u er end of which projects through a suitablb aperture in the casing 1 when the door 3 is in locked position. To the lower end of the link 11 is pivotally secured, as shown at 14:, a relati veliy long rod or link 15. This rod 15 is rlgi ly connected, as shown at 16, to a cam plate 17 which fits over the knob spindle 18 and is adapted to have limited vertical movement thereon by means of an elongated slot 17. To the spindle 18 is rigidly keyed a triangular shaped cam 19, the upper sldes of which engage pins 22 carried by the plate 17. The knobs 20, 21 are secured to either end of the spindle in the usual manner.

The lower end of the door 3 is locked to the casing by means of a throw bolt or rod 23 connected to the plate 17 by means of an arm 24 and rod 25. The arrangement is such that when-the spindle 18is turned in either direction the cam plate 17 will be forced upwardly, the bolts retracted and the door unlocked. I The bolts automatically spring into lockmg position by gravit looking bar 13 is muc lighter than the cam plate and connected links. To hold the bolts in retracted position while the door is open, a bracket 26 is mounted upon the up- Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

inasmuch as the till as the latter is withdrawn. This latch also holds the lower lockin bar retracted through the connecting lin s and cam lates. When the door 3 is swunginto close position the lip 30 of the member 27 will engage the casing-and rock the latch out ofengagement with the block 29. The bars then automatically spring into locking engagement with the casing.

Referring now to the door 2, it is also provided at its inner edge with a plate 31 to which are secured brackets 32 and 33 near the respective upper and lower ends of the door. To these brackets is pivotally secured a toggle mechanism comprising relatively short toggle links 34 and 35 and an intermediate swinging plate or bar 36. This bar 36 is provided with three inclined lugs 37 adapted to have locking engagement with the other door 3. To this end the abutting edges of the door structures are suitably apertured, as shown at 33, 39, to receive these lugs. The supporting plates 7 and 31 are, of course, sinnlarl apertured. When the doors are in closed position these lugs pass through the inner edge of the door 3 and prevent the opening of the door 2.

The locking bar 36 with its lugs 37 is retracted thus: The knob spindle d0 of the door 2 is provided intermediate its length with a V-shaped or double winged cam ll adapted to engage pins 42 carried by a cam plate 43 rigidly mounted on bar 36; the plate (l3 being provided with an oblique slotd lthrough which the knob spindle extends and which accommodates the arc movement of the bar 36 moving on its suspension links 34, 35. When knob spindle 40 is turned in either direction by itsknobs d5, d6, locking, bar 36 is, of course, retracted.

The door 2 is in ordinary practice arranged to automatically swing shut under the action of a weight and pulley mechanism, and is so organized that when the door approaches a closed position bar 36 is positively retracted, so carrying the lugs 37 thereof out of interference with the other door, and as the moving door reaches its closed position the locking bar is released and moves home into locked position. To this end a rocking cam 47 'is pivotally secured, as indicated at 48, to a bracket d9 carried by the door 2 (see Figs. 5 and 6). This cam a? has a cam arm 50 and contacting arm 51, the former being curved throughout its length eccentrically with reference to the ivotal axis 48 and arranged to passthroug a slot 52 in looking bar 36. Arm 51 is so shaped as to work through apertures or mortlses 53, 54, in the ed es of the doors and in register with each ot or when the doors are closed. When the looking bar is projected arm 51 is likewise projected into the position shown in Fig. 5, and vice versa the retraction of the cam compels noel.

the retraction of the looking bar. its the door 2 is being closed the projecting rounded s'urt'ace 51 of arm 51 will encounter the edge of the door 3 and the cam he thereby oscillated on its pivot 48, thus retracting the locking bar and its lugs 37 Thispermits the door to close, and as the cam arm 51 comes into register with the mortise 54: of the opposed door it enters the latter and the locking bar moves home, these parts being impelled into this position by gravity. It will be noted that the slot 52 in the locking bar is obliquely disposed so that the arc movement of the locking bar on its links is not interfered with notwithstanding the engagement of the tail arm 56 of-the. earn 47 with said slot. 7

To prevent the door 3 from being unlocked while door 2, is closed, or, in other words, to insure that the door 2 shall always be opened first, T provide on the link 15 a rigid arm or lug 56 which, when the doors are closed, extends immediately beneat-hand in register with the central locking lug 37 of bar 36; thus preventing the bolt mechanism operated by the lmoh spindle 18 from being operated.

The operation of the doors has been fully indicated in connection with the description of the mechanism thereof, and need not be repeated.

lit will, of course, be understood that any suitable mechanism may be arranged tor automatically swinging the door 2 into closed position, as for example a cord-weight and pulley mechanism, indicated at 55.

It will be noted that the mechanism throughout in so far as it is automatic, operates solely by gravity as distinguished from springs; that the arts are all simple, 105 direct-acting and positive in their action and they are all housed within the doors, so that liability to disarrangement, injury, or clogging, and consequent unreliability, are reduced to a minimum.

While the construction herein shown and described is the preferred construction now in practical use, yet it is to be understood that the details of construction and arrange ment may be modified within reasonable 115 limits without departing ironithe spirit of the invention, and the claims are accordingly not to be construed specifically, except in so far as they are made specific in terms.

l claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic fireprooi door mechanism, the combination with. a surrounding ca'sing in which the door is hung and means "tor automatically impelling the door toiclosed position, of a locking bar carried by 125 and; extending along the free edge of the door and having locking lugs, a cam provided with a strike-arm normally project-- ing beyond the free edge of the door and an eccentric tail-arm interengaged with the 130 by said bar and normally projecting beyond the free edge of the door, a cam provided with a strike-projection pivotally mounted on the door with its strike-projection normally projecting beyond the free edge of the latter, positive interconnections between said cam and the locking bar whereby movement of one compels corresponding movement of the other, and means providing locking recesses in the opposed member to which the door locks, adapted to receive the locking lugs of the locking barand the strike-projection of the cam.

3. In an automatic fireproof door mechanism, the combination with a surrounding casing in which the door is hung and means for automatically impelling the door to close position, of a locking bar supported by parallel links and extendin along the free edge of -the door, locking ugs carried by said bar and normally projecting beyond the free edge of the door, a cam provided with a strike-projection pivotally mounted on the door with its strike-projection normally projecting beyond the free edge of the latter, positive interconnections between said cam and the locking bar whereby movement of one compels corresponding movement of the other, and means providing lockingrecesses in the opposed member to which the door locks, adapted to receive the locking lugs of the locking bar and the strike-projection of the cam, and means for manually actuating said locking mechanism comprising a knob spindle carried by the door and operative connection between said knob spindle and locking-bar whereby rotary movement of the spindle retracts the bar.

4. In an automatic fireproof door mechanism, the combination of a surrounding casing in whichsa pair of doors is hung and means for automatically impelling one of said doors to closed position,.of a locking bar carried by said automatic door and extending along the free edge of the latter, a cam' provided with a strike-arm normally projecting beyond the free edge of the auto matic door and adapted to contact with the edge of the opposed door, operative connections between said cam and said locking bar whereby oscillation of the cam retracts the bar, means providing locking recesses in the edge of the opposed door, adapted to receive the locking lugs of the locking bar and strike-arm'of the cam, bolt mechanism carried by the door opposed to the automatic door,- and interconnections between the looking mechanisms of the two doors whereby the automatic door must first be unlocked before the locking mechanism of the opposed door can be unlocked.

5. In an automatic fireproof door mecha- Iiism, the combination of a door, an opposed member to which the door is adapted to look, a locking bar carried by the door and extending along" the free edge thereof and adapted for lateral shifting, locking lugs extending outwardly from said locking bar, said opposed ,member having locking openings and the free edge of said door having openings through which the locking lugs may pass to engage in said locking openings, an actuating lever pivoted to the door adjacent its free edge and adapted to swing in a plane substantially at right angles to the door and having connection with said locking bar, the free edge of said door having an opening through which the outer edge of said. actuating lever extends when said locking lugs are extended beyond the door edge, the outer end of said lever being adapted to engage with said opposedmember in advance of the projected locking lugs to bethereby swung to effect inward shifting of the locking bar and withdrawal of ing bar is freed to carry its locking lugs into locking engagement with said looking member. 1

JAMES H. ROWLEY. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, EMILE Rosa. 

